Machine for cleaning fiber.



No. 733,080. V PATENTED JULY 7, 1903. M. PRIETO.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1902. N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY r e nonms PEIERS co. Pnorouwg, wnnmmou, u. c.

No. 733,080. PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

M. PRIETO.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1902. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Av o D I I M U iateiited July 7, 1903.-

PATENT OFFICE.

MANUEL PRIETO, OF MEXICO, MEXICO;

MACHINE FOR CLEANING FIBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 733,080, dated July 7, 1903.

Application filed June 13,1902.

To all whom it qwwyboncernk Be it known that I, MANUEL PRIETO, a citizen of the Republic of. Mexico, residing in the city of Mexico,in the Republic of Mexico,liave invented "a certain new and useful Improve ment in Machines for Cleaning Fiber, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe the invention'as adapted for thetreatment of the leaves of a species of aloe, growing wild in great profusion in North and Central America, scientifically known as Agave sisdlienses. The long strong fibers extend longitudinally and substantially parallel in each leaf, and the purpose of the invention is to remove the tough and watery material which envelops and separates such fibers. Machines have been before produced by myself and othersadapted to treat these leaves acting on the principle which I employ in the present machine of first holding one portion and beating thercmainder so as to remove the objectionable material longitudinally and then reversing the conditions. I

have devised a form of machine in which two sets of revolving heaters are employed to act in succession on the leaves, onesetof beaters acting at one side of certain carrying-chains on the portions exposed to them and a little later another set of beaters acting at the other side of such chains onthe part of each leaf exposed on that side. Means are employed to shift the grip between these operations, so that there shall be no part untreated. The leaves are seized and thus changeably presented to these heaters one after another by the aid of two carrying-chains, one a short inside chain running over wheels which may benear the heaters and another and longer I oneinclosing the first with a liberal space he tween at one point for introducing the leaves and taking out and carrying away the successive stricks of cleaned fiber and a lesser space or a mere relief from the pressure at another point in each traverse, and provisions for shifting the leaf endwise at such period. I have devised improvemen'ts for opening the space between the chains at the period when the proper instrumentalities are at work for giving an endwise pull to the leaf and to the resulting fiber, so that the leaves are easily and certainlyshifted to the required extent. I provide notches in the inner chain and (301'- Serial No. 111,4 14. (No model.)

Figure 1 is a front elevation with certain I parts removed and with the outer chain shown in section on the line 1 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view of the machine seen from the left in Fig. 1 with certain portions removed, and Fig. 3 is a plan view with certain portions removed. The remaining figures represent details on a larger scale. Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the links of the outer chain in the position which it occupies in its return journey in the lowest partof its path movingfrom the left to the right. Fig. 5 is a corresponding end view. Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the wheel E, showing more clearly one of the removable cogs. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is a fixed framing, of cast-iron or other suitable material, certain portions of which will be designated bysupernumerals.

B is the shaft carrying the first series of beaters B ,and M is the shaft carrying the second series of beaters M revolved in the opposite direction at a lower level onthe opposite side of the carrying-chain from the first heaters. A longer portion of the leaf is to be treated by the second series M than by the first series B in view of which fact I have made the second drum of larger diameter than the first.

r The feeding is effected through the aid of fwo pitch-chains, a stout inner chain D, carried onwheels E and F, serving in the upper portion of'its course as the bottom chain for the holding of the leaf forthe first beating and serving in another portion of its course as the upper chain in holding the leaf .for the second beating operation. V C is theouter chain, made sufficiently longer than the chain D to traverse around the main portion of the circuit of the latter and also to allow an extension at the front end, where it is carried over a wheel G. All the wheels E, F, and G are continuously and regularly rotated at the required moderate speed by abelt from the motor (not shown) which runs on a pulleyP and through bevel-gears (see Fig. 1) drives the wheel E, which latter actuates both the chains 0 and D and through these drive the wheels F and G.

A is a strong support formed by a portion of the fixed framing and arranged to back and keep up to its place the upper member of the inner feed-chain D, while successive lengths of the butts of the leaves W are subjected to vertical compression from the adjacent parts of the outer chain 0, pressed downward along that portion of their route by a platen A with provisions byscrews-and stout springs for adjusting the downward pressure to which they are subjected.

A is a corresponding support constituting also a portion of the fixed framework of the machine and standing in a position to support the outer chain 0 in the low portion of its traverse, where it is holding the leaves WV for the second beating, being subjected to the necessary compressive force through a platen A and slightly-yielding adjusting means. The leaves are fed in by the attendant between the outer and inner chains at the point marked by a heavy arrow Z.

Each link of the outer chain 0 is provided with two pins or trunnions on each side, one pair' (3 0 being close to the inner edge.

The provisions for shifting each leaf W in its hold. in the chains are as follows: R and S are sprocket-wheels carrying a pitch-chain T, which latter has a rough upper face and is kept up to a right line in its traverse between one wheel and the other by a fixed support A interposed. These sprockets are rotated by the aid of the gearing X Y Z, receiving motion from the adjacent feed-shaft, and the chain is run at a rate just sufficiently faster than that of the main chains D and C to compensate for the obliquity of its traverse. The untreated protruding end of each leaf on reaching the wheel R is seized between the chain T, whichengages with the under side of the leaf, and a smooth top bar A the position of which latter is adjustable by screws A and is slightly yieldable by the action of springs At the same time that the leaf is thus seized the corresponding link of the outer chain 0 is lifted by the contact of its pin 0 with the lifter A and its previously strong grip is relaxed and the link is positively lifted, so that the leaf is easily movable. Now as the work proceeds the chain T, traveling in its oblique path, pulls the leaf across the path of the main chains. The parts are so proportioned and adjusted that the small chain T pulls each leaf to an extent something more than sufficient to expose its previously untreated portion for subsequent treatment on the front side of the chain. Then,the links of the outer chain 0 being drawn down again, the small reaoso wheel E at the extreme rear, where they re-.

verse their travel.

A is what I term a lifter, of which there is one on each side of the chain at the point indicated. (See Fig. 2.) It is held stiffiy in position by braces from an arm A of the framing. As each link of the upperchain 0 approaches the lifter on each side of the chain the lifter insinuates itself between the two pins 0 and C and lifts the chain 0, holding it up during the entire period while the grip of the oblique chain T and its gently-pressing way A above it is pulling the leaf endwise through the chains. So soon as this period is passed the pins C C having passed beyond the lifter allow the chain 0 to again resume its reasonably strong grip on the leaf and hold it firmly, as before.

Hrepresents removable teeth in the wheels E and E, inserted through radial holes in the respective wheels and stiffly secured by nuts H The heads 11 are tapered and match into corresponding holes cl, bored or otherwise produced in the inner faces of the several links of the chain D.

Some portions of this machine, eminently the oblique chain T and its associated parts, are set forthin a separate application for pat ent filed by me May 22,1902,SerialNo.108,51f7.

Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the ad vantages of the invention. The working faces-that is to say, the outer face of the inner chain D and the inner face of the outer chain C-are formed withV-shaped longitudinal grooves. I have shown four such grooves; but the number maybe varied. It is important that they match together. The form and correct matching together of these holding surfaces are important, especially in the holding for the second treatm ent-that performed by the beaters M"because the chains can grip for this work only the thin stratum of fibers presented by the previously-cleaned part of the leaf. It is necessary to press the chains more closely together for this reason.

The teeth 11 may be permanently set in the wheels E and Finstead of being made removable, or they may be omitted entirely if preferred in any case.

The framing may be varied in form within wide limits.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a machine for treating fibrous plants, the combination of two chains D, 0, running one within the other, adapted to seize and transport the material between them, beating devices acting on opposite sides of the chains treating the ends respectivelypresented thereto, provisions for separating such chains to allow the material to be introduced and removed, and provisions for shifting the material laterally in such chains between the beatin g actions, all arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

2. In a machine for treating fibrous plants, the combination of two chains D, 0, running one within the other adapted to seize and transport the material between them, beating devices acting on opposite sides of the chains provisions for shifting the material laterally in such chains between the beating actions,

all arranged to serve substantially as herein specified. I

3. In a machine for treating fibrous plants having two chains running one within the other the wheels E, F, G, the notched flanges G on the wheel G and the pins 0 on the sides of the chain 0, engaging said notches, arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

'4. In a machine for treating fibrous plants, the combination of two chains D, 0, running one within the other adapted to seize and transport the material between them, beating devices acting on opposite sides of the chains treating the ends respectively presented thereto,provisions for separating such chains to allow the material to be introduced and removed, provisions for holding the chains together with force in passing the places where the beaters work, and provisions by the two pins 0 and C on each side of the links of the chain 0 and the notched wheel E and the lifter A for both insuring the correct movement of said chain in its progression and also its rise to release the leaf during the period while it is being shifted laterally,

all substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in pres- 

